Because They Can is the second album from American rock group Nelson, released by Geffen Records in 1995. The album had a shaky production history as a result of creative differences between brothers Matthew and Gunnar Nelson and the Geffen Records executives, the latter led by John Kalodner. After the success of their debut album, After the Rain, the band recorded the heavier and darker follow-up Imaginator. When Kalodner and other Geffen executives were displeased with it, Nelson was told to record a lighter album. After more than a year of writing and recording, Nelson came up with Because They Can. The band left Geffen shortly after the release of the album.
Background and recording
After the success of their first album, After the Rain, and years of touring, Nelson returned to the studio to record their second album. They came up with a darker and harder, concept album titled Imaginator. However, when they presented the album to producer John Kalodner and the executives at Geffen Records, they weren't pleased. They then gave the band the choice to either record another album, more according to what they were expecting, or they would be released from their contract. The band decided to return to the studio and began working on a more acoustic-oriented album which was, according to Gunnar, "180 degrees in the opposite direction of Imaginator". Because They Can was recorded at various studios such as Sound City, Studio F, Nichols Canyon Studios, Caravell Studios, Granny's House, Capitol Studios, Cactus Studios and Quarkbrain Studio. It featured original band members Brett Garsed, Paul Mirkovich, Joey Cathcart and Bobby Rock on most of the songs, and it featured guest musicians such as Mike Baird, Don Felder, Steve Porcaro and others. The album was mixed at Conway Studios.
Reception
Because They Can was released in 1995, five years after the release of Nelson's first album. According to Gunnar Nelson, Geffen was not "going to put any money into promoting it". The album went mostly unnoticed and did not appear on the Billboard charts. " All Shook Up" was released to radio and video outlets, and peaked at #30 on the Radio & Records Pop chart. On another interview, Gunnar said about the album "I’m really proud of , but our fanbase had gone away. Everybody had changed their musical tastes, and it was really kind of a drag". Gunnar has also noted that People gave them the "best bad review in the history of rock 'n' roll" for Because They Can writing only "Maybe they shouldn’t". He has argued that a lot of the negative reviews they had were just based on their legacy and not in the actual music.
